THE PHILIPPINE ELECTRICAL CODE

I. Objective of the PEC

a) Safe use of electricity
b) Adequacy
II. Scope
III. Authority
IV. Enforcement
V. Interpretation
VI. Examination of Equipment for safety
VII. Definition of terms

I. Objective

a) Safe use of electricity- this Code has the primary objective of establishing basic
materials quality and electrical works standard for the safe use of electricity
for (lh pcso) light, heat, power, communication, signaling and for other
purposes;
b) Adequacy- strict compliance with the provisions of this code will ensure safety
in electrical installation and construction, but not necessary efficient,
convenient, or adequate for good service or future expansion of electrical use.

II. Scope
This Code covers electric conductors including optical fiber cable and equipment
installed within or on, to or from: PEIT PARY Q WD TMOO
a) P-rivate and public buildings
b) E-lectric generating plants
c) I-ndustrial plants
d) T-ransformer stations
e) P-ermanent and temporary substation,etc.
f) A-irfield
g) R-ailway switchyards
h) Y-ards, carnival, parking and other lots
i) Q –uarries and mines
j) W-atercraft
k) D-ockyards
l) T-railers
m)M-obile homes and recreational vehicles
n) O-ther premises requiring electrical installations
except: aircraft, motor vehicles and railway rolling stocks
o) O-ffshore facilities
III. Authority

a) This Code has been approved and adopted by the Board of electrical
Engineering, Professional Regulation Commission.
b) By virtue of authority vested in the Board under (RA 184) RA 7920, it hereby
directs strict adherence to the provisions of this Code.
c) Where deviations from these provisions are necessary. Such deviations shall
not be made, except with written permission from the code enforcing
authority applicable only to the particular job for which such permission was
granted.

IV. Enforcement

a) This code is intended for mandatory application by government bodies

exercising legal jurisdiction over electrical installation;
b) These government bodies will have the responsibility of implementing the
provisions of this code in deciding on the approval of equipment and materials
and for granting the special permission contemplated in this Code, where it is
assured that equivalent objectives can be achieved by establishing and
maintaining effective safety.

V. Interpretation

a) The Board of Electrical Engineering shall render the final decision in the
interpretation of any portion of the Philippine Electrical Code Part 1, in case of
a controversy.

VI. Examination of Equipment for Safety

For specific items of equipment and materials referred to in this Code,

examination for safety made under standard conditions will provide a basis for
approval where the record is made general available through promulgation by
organization properly equipped and qualified for experimental testing, inspections
of the runs goods at factories, and service-value determination through field
inspections. This avoids the necessity for repetition of examinations by different
examiners, frequently with inadequate facilities for such work, and the confusion
that would result from conflicting reports as to the suitability of devices and
materials examined for a given purpose.

VII. DEFINITIONS:
1. ACCESSIBLE: (As applied to wiring method) - Capable of being removed or exposed
without damaging the building structure or finish, or not permanently closed in by the
structure or finished.
2. Accessible, readily: (READILY ACCESSIBLE) – Capable of being reached quickly for
operation, renewal, or inspections, without requiring those to whom ready access is
requisite to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, chairs,
etc.
3. AMPACITY: -The current in amperes a conductor can carry continuously under the
conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating.
4. ARMOR: -A wrapping of galvanized interlocking steel strip forming an integral part of
the assembly or certain insulated cables, wires, or cords, which are capable of
withstanding certain mechanical tests.
5. ARMORED CABLE: (In interior wiring)- A fabricated assembly of insulated conductors
in a flexible metallic covering.
6. BRANCH CIRCUIT: - The circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device
protecting the circuit and the outlet/s.
7. BRANCH CIRCUIT APPLIANCE: - A branch circuit supplying energy to one more outlets
to which appliances are to be connected; such circuits to have no permanently
connected lighting fixtures not part of an appliance.
8. BRANCH-CIRCUIT DISTRIBUTION CENTER: - A distribution center from which branch
circuits are supplied.
9. BRANCH CIRCUIT GENERAL PURPOSE: - A branch circuit that supplies a number of
outlets for lighting and appliances.
10. BRANCH CIRCUIT MULTI WIRE: - A branch circuit consisting of two more ungrounded
conductors having a potential difference between them, and a grounded conductor
having equal potential difference between it and each ungrounded conductor of the
circuit and which is connected to the neutral conductor of the system.
11. BUILDING: - A structure which stands alone of which is to cut off from adjoining
structures by fire walls with all openings therein protected by approved fire doors.
12. BUS: - A conductor, or group of conductors, in switchgear assemblies which serves as a
common connection for two or more circuits.
13. BUSWAY: - An approved, completely assembled metal troughing and fitting therefore,
containing bare conductors intended for use as feeder, the conductors being suitably
supported on insulators.
14. CABLE: - either a stranded conductor with or without insulation and other covering
(single conductor cable), or a combination of conductors insulated from one
another(multiple conductor cable).
15. CIRCUIT BREAKER: - A device designed to open or close a circuit by non-automatic
means and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overcurrent without
injury to itself when properly applied within its rating.

16. CLEARANCES:

17. CONCEALED: - Rendered inaccessible by the structure or finish of the building. Wires in
concealed raceways are considered concealed, even though they may become
accessible by withdrawing them.
18. BARE: - A conductor having no covering or electrical insulation whatsoever.
19. COVERED: - A conductor encased within material of composition or thickness that is
not recognized by this Code as electrical insulation.
20. CONNECTED LOAD: - The sum of the continuous ratings of the load consuming
apparatus connected to the system or any part therefore.
21. CONTROL: - The methods and means of governing the performance of any electric
apparatus, equipment, fixtures, machine or system.
22. CUTOUT BOX: - An enclosure designed for surface mounting and having swinging
doors or covers secured directly to and telescoping with the walls of the box proper.
23. DEAD: - Free from any electric connections to a source of potential difference from
that of the earth. The term is used only with reference to current carrying parts which
are sometimes alive.
24. DEMAND FACTOR: - The ratio of the maximum demand of a system, or part of a
system, to the total connected load of a system or the part of the system under
consideration.
25. DISCONNECTING MEANS: - A device or group devices, or other means by which the
conductor of circuit can be disconnected from its source.
26. DWELLING UNIT: - One or more rooms for the use of one or more persons as a
housekeeping unit with space for eating, living, and sleeping and permanent
provisions for cooking and sanitation.

a) Multifamily Dwelling: A building containing three or more dwellings.

b) One Family Dwelling: A building consisting solely of one dwelling unit.
c) Two Family Dwelling: A building consisting solely of two dwelling units.

27. ELECTRIC MOTOR: - A rotating machine which coverts electrical energy into
mechanical energy.
28. FEEDER: - All circuit conductors between the service equipment, or the generator
switchboard of an isolated plant, and the final branch circuit overcurrent device.
29. FLEXIBLE CONDUIT: - Non-rigid metal conduit into which conductors may be drawn.
30. FLEXIBLE TUBING: - Non-metallic and non-rigid tubing, commonly known as “loom”
through which a conductor may be drawn.
31. FUSE: - An overcurrent protective device with a circuit-opening fusible member which
is heated and severed by the passage of overcurrent through it.
32. FUSE CURRENT RATING: - the current rating of a fuse is the designated rms alternating,
or direct current which it will carry continuously under stated conditions.
33. FUSE CUTOUT: - a form of fuse and its holder or enclosure characterized by the safe
replaceability of the fuse unit.
34. FUSE HOLDER: - a device to support a fusible link and to complete the contact
between the fusible link and the fuse clips.
35. FUSE VOLTAGE RATING: - the voltage rating of a fuse is that rms alternating or direct
voltage for which it is designed.
36. GROUND: - a conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental between an
electrical or equipment and the earth, or to some conducting body that serves in place
of the earth.
37. GROUNDED: - Connected to the earth or to some conducting body that serves in place
of earth.
38. GROUNDING CONDUCTOR CIRCUIT: - a ckt. in which one conductor or point (usually
the neutral conductor or point of transformer or generator windings) which is
intentionally grounded, either solidly or through a grounding device.
39. INACCESSIBLE – covered by the structure or finish of the building or sufficiently remote
from access, or so placed or guarded that unauthorized persons cannot inadvertently,
touch, interface with or enter the equipment, room or compartment.
40. INSULATED – separate from other conducting surfaces by a dielectric permanently
offering a high resistance to the passage of current and to disruptive discharge.
41. JUMPER – a short length of conductor used to make a connection between terminals
or around a break in a ckt., or around an instrument. It is usually temporary
connection.
42. JUNCTION BOX – a box with a blank cover which serves the purpose of joining
different runs of raceway or cable, and provided with sufficient space for connection
and branching of the enclosed conductors.
43. KNIFE SWITCH – a form of air switch, the moving element is a hinged blade wedged
between stationary contact blades when closed.
44. LAMP – a generic term for an artificial source of light.
45. LAMP HOLDER – a device constructed for the mechanical support of lamps and for
connecting them for circuit conductors.
46. LATERAL CONDUCTOR – a wire or cable extending sideways or at angle to the general
direction of the line. Service wires either overhead or underground are considered
laterals from the street mains. The branches extended on poles at approximate right
angles to lines are also known as “laterals”.
47. LIGHTING OUTLET – an outlet intended for the direct connection of a lamp holder, a
lighting fixtures, or a pendant cord terminating in a lamp holder.
48. LINE CONDUCTOR – a wire or cable carrying electric current, supported by poles,
towers or other structures, but not including vertical or lateral connecting wires.
49. MAXIMUM DEMAND – maximum demand of an installation or system is the greatest
of all the demands which have occurred during the specified period of time.
50. OUTLET – a point on a wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization
equipment.
51. OVERCURRENT – any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the
ampacity of a conductor. It may result from overload, short ckt. or ground fault.
52. OVERLOAD – operation of equipment in excess of normal, full load rating, or of a
conductor in excess of rated ampacity which, when it persists for a sufficient length of
time would cause damage or dangerous overheating. A fault such as a short ckt. or
ground fault is not an overload.
53. PANEL BOARD – a single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the
form of a single panel; including buses, automatic overcurrent device, and with or
without switches for the control of light heat, or power ckts.; designed to be placed in
a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall or partition and accessible only
from the front.
54. PEAK LOAD – the maximum load consumed or produced by a unit or group of units in
a stated period of time. It may be the maximum instantaneous load or the maximum
average load over a designated interval of time.
55. POWER OUTLET – an enclosed assembly which may include receptacles, ckt. breakers,
fuse holders, fused switches, buses and watt-hour meter mounting means; intended
 to supply and control power for general use or to mobile house homes, recreational
vehicles or boats, or to serve as a means for distributing power required to operate
mobile or temporary installed equipment.
56. PULL BOX – a box with a blank cover which is inserted in one or more runs or raceway
to facilitate pulling in the conductor and may also serve the purpose of distributing
the conductors.
57. RACEWAY – an enclosed channel designed expressly for holding wires, cable, or bus
bars with additional function as permitted in this Code.
58. RATED VOLTAGE – (of equipment) the rated voltage of equipment is the voltage to
which operating and performance characteristics are referred.
59. RECEPTACLE – a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of a single
attachment plug. ( note: A single receptacle is a single contact device with no other
contact device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is a single device containing
two or more receptacles).
60. RIGID METAL CONDUIT – a raceway specially constructed for the purpose of the
pulling in or the withdrawing of wires or cable after the conduit is in place and made
of metal of standard weight and thickness permitting the cutting of standard threads.
61. SERVICE – the conductor and equipment for delivering energy from the electricity
supply system to the wiring system of the premises served.
62. SERVICE CONDUCTORS – the supply conductors that extend from street main or from
transformer to the service equipment of the premises served.
63. SERVICE DROP – the overhead service conductors from the last pole or other aerial
support to and including the splices, if any, connecting to the service-entrance
conductors at the building or other structure.

64. SERVICE-ENTRANCE CONDUCTORS:

a) Overhead System - the service conductors between the terminals of the service
equipment and a point usually outside the bldg., clear of bldg. walls, where joined
by tap or splice to the service lateral.

b) Underground System – the service conductors between the terminals of the service
equipment and the point of connection to the service laterals.

NOTE: Where service equipment is located outside the building walls, there may be
no service entrance conductors, or they may be entirely outside the bldg.

65. SERVICE EQUIPMENT – the necessary equipment, usually consisting of a ckt. breaker
or switch and fuses, and their accessories, located near the point of entrance of supply
conductors to a bldg. or other structure, or an otherwise defined area, and intended
to constitute the main control and means of cut-off of the supply.
66. SERVICE LATERAL - the underground service conductors between the street main,
including any risers at a pole or other structure or from transformers, and the first
point of connection to the service entrance conductors in a terminal box or meter or
other enclosure with adequate space, inside or outside the bldg. wall. Where there is
no terminal box or other enclosure with adequate space, the point of connection shall
be considered to be the point of entrance of the service conductors into the bldg.
67. SURFACE METAL RACEWAY(metal molding) – a raceway consisting of an assembly of
metal backing and capping.
68. SWITCHES:
a) General-Use Switch – a switch intended for use in general distribution and branch
ckt. It is rated in amperes, and it is capable of interrupting its rated current at its
rated voltage.
b) General-Use Snap Switch – a form of general-use switch so constructed that it can
be installed in flush device boxes or on outlet box covers, otherwise used in
conjunction with the wiring systems recognized by this Code.
c) Isolating Switch – a switch intended for isolating an electric ckt. from the source of
power. It has no interrupting rating, and it is intended to be operated only after
the ckt. has been opened by some other means.
d) Motor-Circuit Switch – a switch, rated in horsepower, capable of interrupting the
maximum operating overload current of a motor of the same horsepower rating
as the switch at the rated voltage.
69. TIE WIRE – a short piece of wire used to bind an overhead conductor to an insulator or
other support.
70. TUBE – (in interior wiring knob& tube) a hollow cylindrical piece of insulating material
having a head or shoulder at one end, through which a conductor is threaded when
passing through a wall, floor, ceiling, joist, stud, etc.
71. UNDER FLOOR RACEWAY – a raceway suitable for floor.
72. UNDERGROUND CABLE – a cable designed for operation buried in the ground or
installed in an underground duct or conduit.
73. WATERTIGHT – so constructed that moisture will not enter enclosure under specified
test condition.
74. WEATHERPROOF – so constructed or protected that exposure to the weather
operation will not interfere with successful operation. Note: Rainproof, rain tight,
watertight equipment can fulfill the requirements weatherproof where varying
weather conditions other than wetness, such as dust, or temperature extremes, are
not a factor.
 HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS
1. CLASS I – locations in which flammable gases or vapors are or may be present in the
air sufficient to produced explosive or ignitable mixtures.
( e.g. Gasoline terminals, distillery, pharmaceuticals etc.)

2. Class II - locations in which are hazardous because of the presence of combustible

dust.
(e.g. firecracker maker, match maker, dynamite plant, etc.)

3. CLASS III - locations in which are hazardous because of the presence of easily ignitable
fibers and flyings.
(e.g. textile plant. Paper, saw mills, etc.)

**** QUESTION AND ANSWER:

QUESTION: IS UNDERGROUND WIRING PERMITTED IN BULK STORAGE PLANTS?

ANSWER : Bulk storage plant is considered a hazardous location because it is a

location where gasoline and other volatile flammable liquids are stored in tanks
having an aggregate capacity of one car load or more, and from which such products
are distributed.

Note:
Underground wiring is permitted in a bulk storage plant, provided that the
underground wiring is installed in rigid metal conduit, threaded steel intermediate
metal conduit, or in form of cable approved for the purpose.
Where cable is used, it shall be enclosed in rigid or threaded steel intermediate
metal conduit from the point of lowest buried cable level to the point of connection to
the above ground raceway.

GROUNDING SYSTEM
(Key to remember: same word)

1. SYSTEM GROUNDING - a system or circuit conductor that is intentionally ground.

2. EQUIPMENT GROUNDING - the conductors used to connect the non-current

carrying metal parts of equipment to the system ground conductor at the service
equipment.
3. GROUNDING CONDUCTOR - a conductor used to connect equipment to grounded
circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode.
 ELECTRICAL TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

1. THERMOCOUPLE - two metals with their end heated at different temperature to

convert heat energy into electrical energy.
2. ACSR – “Aluminum Cable Steel Reinforced” used as overhead conductor.
3. PRONY BRAKE - device used in conducting PBT in order to determine the output
power and torque of an electric motor.
4. SCOTT or T-CONNECTION – is used to transform two phase power to three phase
power or vice versa.
5. BIL – “Basic Insulation Level”, the capacity of an electrical device to withstand
mechanical stress, express in KVA.
6. INVERTER - a device used to convert DC to AC.
7. GALVANOMETER - it is an instrument utilizing mechanical motion caused by a current
to indicate the presence or to measure small amount of current.
8. GROUND TESTER – used to measure very small value of earth resistance.
9. KIRKCHOFF’S LAW – means to solve electric network which is difficult to solve using
ohm’s law alone.
10. SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER – a synchronous motor without mechanical load used for
power factor correction.
11. WHEATSTONE BRIDGE – it is used to measure an unknown resistance in relation to
known resistance.
12. TELEMETERING – remote sensing
13. DIELECTRIC – a substance that separate the plates of a capacitor (an insulator).
14. CORONA - it is a luminous discharge due to the ionization of the air surrounding a
conductor caused by a voltage gradient exceeding a certain critical value.
15. SURGE IMPEDANCE - the ratio of a potential difference to the current flowing at any
point in the transmission line due to a surge causing a traveling wave to exist upon it.
16. MOTIONAL IMPEDANCE - motional impedance of a transducer is the impedance
obtained by subtracting the blocked impedance from loaded impedance.
17. ITERATIVE IMPEDANCE - iterative impedance of a transducer is that impedance which
when connected to one pair of terminals produces a like impedance at the other pair
of terminal.
18. IMAGE IMPEDANCE - the impedance which will simultaneously terminate all inputs
and outputs so that at each input and output of the impedance in both directions are
equal.